Beyoncé (album)

Beyoncé is the fifth studio album by American singer Beyoncé. A visual album, it was surprise-released on December 13, 2013, through Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records. The songs and videos were recorded in secrecy to accompany the unexpected release.

Beyoncé initially worked with various producers and songwriters whom she invited to live in her mansion for a month in mid-2012. After a disruption from touring, Beyoncé resumed in early 2013 and experimented with different styles than contemporary R&B. The result is an electro-R&B record with elements of alternative R&B, electronic, and soul. Its soundscape is textured and ambient, characterized by heavy bass, percussion, and synthesizers. Beyoncé's desire to assert full artistic autonomy influenced the album's dark, personal lyricism that deals with sexuality and monogamy with a feminist approach.

Upon release, Beyoncé broke the record for the fastest-selling album in the history of the iTunes Store. It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 and has been certified five-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album also reached number one in Australia, Canada, Croatia, the Netherlands, and Poland. Five songs were released as singles: "Blow", "XO", "Drunk in Love", "Partition", and "Pretty Hurts"; "Drunk in Love" reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100. The album was reissued as a Platinum Edition on November 24, 2014, and was supported by the Mrs. Carter Show World Tour and the Jay-Z co-headlining On the Run Tour.

Beyoncé received widespread critical acclaim for its experimental production, vocals, and exploration of sexuality; various critics have considered it Beyoncé's magnum opus. At the 57th Annual Grammy Awards in 2015, it won Best Surround Sound Album, and "Drunk in Love" won Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance. In 2020, Beyoncé was ranked 81st in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The album has been credited with popularizing the contemporary visual album, and its surprise release prompted the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry to change Global Release Day from Tuesday to Friday.